The Rocks

Sydney's early convict days live on in the Rocks, a jumble of cobblestone streets and cul-de-sacs just five minutes from Circular Quay. You only have to step off the harbour foreshore to find the sandstone terraces and cottages and some of Sydney's oldest pubs. This historic precinct also draws both visitors and locals with its museums and galleries, lively weekend markets and hotels with harbour views. The past and present collide in the best way in the Rocks, home to both ghostly tours and some of Sydney's liveliest celebrations.

The Rocks

Explore Sydney’s colorful convict history in the Rocks, the harbourside quarter where settlement began.

Sydney's early convict days live on in the Rocks, a jumble of cobblestone streets and cul-de-sacs just five minutes from Circular Quay. You only have to step off the harbour foreshore to find the sandstone terraces and cottages and some of Sydney's oldest pubs. This historic precinct also draws both visitors and locals with its museums and galleries, lively weekend markets and hotels with harbour views. The past and present collide in the best way in the Rocks, home to both ghostly tours and some of Sydney's liveliest celebrations.

The Rocks,Sydney, NSW

The steep, higgledy-piggledy streets of The Rocks sprawl out to the western side of Circular Quay and the imposing steel arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Start your explorations wandering around the harbour foreshore, from the iconic Opera House on one side to just beneath the bridge. Visit the Pylon Lookout, or for even better views, climb the span of the bridge with an organised group.

The pubs here are some of the oldest in Sydney, and you can join a walking tour to learn about their colourful history. Listen to live music or taste a locally-brewed pint in bars where sailors, soldiers and stevedores celebrated and drank away their sorrows in the 1800s. A guide can help you imagine the lives of these larrikins, who struggled with poverty and grim, disease-ridden conditions. Immerse yourself in their stories as you wander between the pubs, historic Playfair Street terraces, storehouses and workman's cottages.

The Rocks,Sydney, NSW

Today these house elegant boutiques and galleries, where you can shop for an up-market souvenir or see the work of Australian artists. In the popular Saturday markets you'll find everything from stylish, hand-crafted jewelry to gourmet bush tucker condiments. Afterwards, have a tarot card reading in an esoteric bookshop or grab lunch in a patisserie or café with a colonial courtyard.

The Rocks is also at the hub of some of Sydney's best-known artistic attractions. At nearby Walsh Bay, you can see a performance by the Sydney Theatre Company or join a dance class with the Sydney Dance Company. Fronting Circular Quay is the Museum of Contemporary Art, showcasing cutting-edge exhibitions from across Australia and the world.

For a historical experience, head to the Justice and Police Museum, once a court house that processed criminals from Sydney's rowdy waterfront. Peer into the old remand cells and imagine the restored 1890s police charge room. To delve deeper into the dark side of early Sydney, join a ghost tour round the Rocks. Listen to grisly stories as you walk through tiny alleys by lantern light.

The spirits may love these cobblestone streets, but you're more likely to meet international tourists or city office workers having a drink in one of the heritage hotels. You may also find yourself caught up in riotous crowds during some of Sydney's biggest celebrations. Listen to live bands and soak up the atmosphere on Australia Day on 26 January or see fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour on New Year's Eve. Don't miss The Rocks, where Sydney's past and the present collide in the best way.

Sydney Harbour is regarded as one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world. With more than 240 kilometres of shoreline and meandering waterways, there’s plenty to explore and discover. Sydney Harbour is one big aquatic playground for Sydneysiders, and on a warm sunny day, the harbour is a vibrant blue and dotted with hundreds of sailing boats, cruise boats and ferries. Around Sydney Harbour’s fringe you’ll also find national parks, World Heritage sites, rich Aboriginal heritage and early colonial history. On the water, above the water or below it, there’s a million ways to enjoy Sydney Harbour.

Beyond its landmark buildings, Sydney Harbour National Park shelters secluded beaches, picturesque islands and rare pockets of native bushland. Swim, picnic and bushwalk along the spectacular foreshore or visit harbour islands on a ferry. Go sailing or kayaking, get up close to wildlife and discover ancient rock art and convict-built buildings. The harbour's bays, parks and headlands are also natural grandstands for some of Australia's biggest events, from New Year's Eve fireworks to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Explore the harbour, beaches and inner-city precincts of this exuberant city. See dawn break from the top of the Harbour Bridge or the sun set on the Opera House. Fine dine along the Woolloomooloo finger wharf or experience theatre and dance along the redeveloped wharves of Walsh Bay. Take the ferry to Manly, walk from Bondi to Bronte along the spectacular sea cliffs or relax in a beer garden with harbour views in Watsons Bay. Discover the unique character of Surry Hills, Kings Cross, Glebe, Newtown or Balmain. Spend your final day indulging at wineries, restaurants or day spas of the Hunter Valley.